From The Publisher
Playing sports at the next level is a dream come true for many high school
athletes. February 5 was National Signing Day, and years of hard work by the
athlete, sacrifices by parents, and skillful coaching and encouragement resulted in
several student athletes receiving college athletic scholarships in our coastal area.
The smiles were big at all the signing presentations we attended, many resulting
in a high-spirited celebration (sometimes with cake). As you can imagine, the
student athletes and parents were excited, ready with applause, handshakes and
hugs as they watched the athletes put on a new caps signifying their next teams.
Photos and television interviews made for one of the most memorable days for
any high school athlete.
This issue recognizes over 30 coastal scholarship athletes, and as signings
continue over the spring, we expect many more for our next issue.
Having enjoyed some excellent basketball and winter sports, the high school
season moves quickly to the activities of spring. Baseball, lacrosse, soccer,
tennis, golf, and track and field occupy the afternoons of March, April, and May.
Our Player Spotlights this issue are J.D. Rogers of Toombs County High and
Miranda Weslake of Beaufort Academy. J.D. is a wrestler in the 195 pound
weight class and just won his first State Championship Title for 2A. He and his
team also won the area sectional tournament and came in 4th in the State.
Miranda Weslake is a special athlete who has signed to play soccer with Clemson
University. A strong competitor, she has game on the basketball court as well.

Area Schools

in the

Battery Creek High • Beach • Beaufort Academy
Beaufort High • Benedictine Military
Bethesda School for Boys • Bible Baptist School
Bluffton High • Bryan County High
Bulloch Academy • Calvary Day School
Claxton High • David Emanuel Academy
Effingham County High • Emanuel County Institute
First Presbyterian Christian • Groves High
Heritage Academy • Hilton Head Christian Academy
Hilton Head Island High • Hilton Head Preparatory
Islands High • Jenkins County High • Jenkins High
Johnson High • Memorial Day School • Metter High
Pinewood Christian Academy • Portal High
Richmond Hill High • Ridgeland Hardeeville High
Robert Toombs Academy • Savannah Arts Academy
Savannah Christian Preparatory
Savannah Country Day • Savannah High
Screven County High • South Effingham High
Southeast Bulloch High • St. Andrew's • St. Vincent’s
Statesboro High • Swainsboro High
Tattnall County High • Thomas Heyward Academy
Toombs County High • Vidalia High
Whale Branch Early College High
Windsor Forest High • Woodville-Tompkins

Contributors

Brad Stewart, one of Benedictine School’s most heralded athletes, is our Junior
Spotlight. Anyone who has seen Brad play football, basketball or baseball knows
there is something special about this 6’3” athlete. He is good at all sports, but his
quickness and speed in the outfield and power punch with the bat might just bring
out a few pro scouts this spring. Put him on your “must watch list.”
Achieving high academics requires extra concentration for athletes who must
manage their time in both arenas. Sam Bignualt of Savannah Christian helps us
understand how he sets and achieves high goals on the court and in the classroom.
The Coach’s Corner this month is Michael Thompson of Memorial Day School,
whose teams have won consecutive basketball and football state championships.
He has limited practice facilities and not many players, however his record
reveals he produces winning teams year after year.

Tom Hilliard,

Publisher & Features

Overcoming injury and illness is a part of life, but it isn’t always easy. Three
young men share their experiences dealing with cancer, ACL tears and
concussions. Their stories of overcoming obstacles are truly inspirational and
reveal the challenges and positive mindsets that are a part of any rehabilitation.
Several other special features and impact players await your discovery in this
issue. What you will find are many local athletes and coaches who are in sports
because they love it and value the relationships, challenges, and opportunities that
each activity provides.

Robert Preston, Jr.,

Features & Commentary

As a sports fan, I invite you to cheer along with me for all our teams and players.
Every team needs faithful sports fans who celebrate the wins and lift up and
encourage over the losses. In this way we all can be In the Game.

Tom Hilliard
In the Game High School Sports Magazine is published bi-monthly. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in part or in full without written consent from the publisher. Dykes
Publishing Group, Inc. makes no representation or warranty of any kind for accuracy of content. All advertisements are assumed by the publisher to be correct. Copyright 2014 Dykes Publishing
Group, Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN 1945-1458.

w w w. i nth egam e maga z i n e . co m

Sam
Bignault
Academic Athlete

Savannah Christian Preparatory School

Achieving More Than Academics
by Ruby Hilliard

S

ophomore Sam Bignault is a standout academic athlete for Savannah
Christian Preparatory School. He
has been a varsity basketball player
for the Raiders since his freshman year. Academically, he is ranked number one in his class.
One of his main goals is to finish high school
with the highest average in his class, and with
an average of 99.2, he is well on his way.
“I think learning has come naturally for me my
whole life, but I do have to put work into all my
studies. I feel I am more competitive with myself
rather than other people around me, but when
they do well it does push me to do even better.
My competitiveness and drive to be the best I
8

photography by Tina Helmly

can possibly be in everything is my biggest motivator. I try to improve myself in whatever way
possible in everything I do,” says Bignault.
“Sam’s naturally smart. I always told him that
you couldn’t just be smart and not do the work,”
says his mother, Cindy.
“He works at it really hard. I let him know
that’s it’s all going to pay off. You’ve only got one
chance to make a first impression so make it a
good one,” says Bignault’s father, Michael.
Bignault is a member of the National Society
of High School Scholars. He has won awards in
Advanced English, Government, Life of Jesus,
Old Testament, Advanced Ancient World History, and Geometry. One of his favorite awards

is the Headmaster’s Award, which is given to
the basketball player with the highest GPA on
the team. He received the Headmaster’s Award
throughout his entire middle school career. Bignault was also a candidate for the Governor’s
Honors Program in math.
“I feel very proud of my accomplishments,
and I believe they are an accurate reflection of
my hard work and dedication to my classes. I
feel very privileged to have such supporting parents and great teachers,” says Bignault.
When Bignault isn’t playing basketball or
working on his academics, he volunteers. One
of his favorite organizations to work with is Animal Control. Every weekend he tries to pay them

a visit and walk the dogs that are up for adoption. He also belongs to his school’s Key Club
and the Environmental Club, where members
clean up school grounds. In addition to his clubs
and charity work, Bignault is Sub-Deacon for his
church, St. Paul’s Episcopal, where he assists
the priest with his duties.
Bignault loves playing basketball for his team.
His coach, Steven Edenfield, saw Bignault’s
potential for basketball when he watched the
young man play for the middle school team.
Edenfield is looking forward to even bigger
things from Bignault in his high school basketball career.
Says Edenfield, “Sam’s a sophomore and
he’s played on the varsity team the past two
years. He’s one of the big guys I keep around
the basket. From the first time I saw him play I
knew we had a good player on our hands. He’s
played in almost every game. That is unusual for
a freshman or a sophomore to get so much time
on the court. I think a lot of the things that make
Sam a good student make him a good basketball player too. He’s very analytical. You can
really see the wheels turning when he’s thinking
about how to improve his game. He’s eager to
learn the nuances of the game and asks really
good questions.”
One memorable sports moment for Bignault
was forcing a steal against rival Country Day

School. “The guy brought the ball up across
half court, and I saw his eyes look to the side to
his teammate. I jumped the pass, tipped it, and
my teammate grabbed the ball then dribbled
it towards our goal. He got stuck, passed the
ball back to me, I shot it and someone from the
other team hit my arm, fouling me. The crowd
was going wild, and I ended up making my free
throws. The entire student section was chanting
my name,” says Bignault.
The most inspiring person in Bignault’s life
was his grandfather, Milton Hoyt Rahn. “He lived
in Savannah during a time when there was a
great deal of civil rights movements. I think that
he was way ahead of the curve in his conduct
toward African Americans. He always treated
everyone in the same way and was very respectful. I learned a lot from him and respect
him,” says Bignault.
“My father was young when his family left the
farm in Effingham County and came to Savannah to work for Union Camp,” says Bignault’s
mother. “When he was seventeen, his father
signed for him to join the military, and he spent
thirteen years in the Navy. After returning to
Savannah, he opened up a convenience-type
store, followed by coin-operated laundromats
and real estate investments. He was a real entrepreneur and very wise with his money even
though he lacked formal education. His greatest

quality was how he treated people. Every person he met, he would look them straight in their
eyes while speaking with them, giving them all
of his attention and respect and making them
feel like they were the only person there. He
made everyone, no matter what color they were,
feel special. He didn’t believe that there was any
difference in skin color and everyone was his
friend. He imparted not only his knowledge of
money, but his high respect of others to Sam.
Sam reminds me a lot of my father.”
Some of Bignault’s most important memories are his travels with his father. So far their
journeys include: Melbourne, Australia; Paris,
France; Prague, Poland; and Bangkok, Thailand. Bignault loves experiencing different lifestyles, cultures, and food. He especially loves
the food.
“He’s like a robot when it comes to food.
When we were in Paris walking around, Sam
says to me ‘Dad, where are we going for dinner?’ and I said ‘Son, we just ate an hour ago!’
He was already planning the next meal,” says
Bignault’s father.
Their next trip is scheduled for spring break.
They plan to go to Tokyo, Japan, where they will
take a tour to Mt. Fuji, go on a boat ride, then
take the bullet train from Kyoto back to Tokyo.
Also, not surprisingly, they will be going on a
food tour. ITG

igh School junior Thang Lieu is a competitive tennis player who is ready to
play first singles for the Swainsboro
Tigers this spring. He played first doubles last year, winning Region 2AA and advancing to the Sweet Sixteen with his partner. Lieu’s
story is one of courage and inspiration as he
competes at a high level even though he plays
the fast pace sport of tennis with a prosthetic leg
from the knee down.
He recalls those early days, in the eighth
grade, when he was trying to work through the
cancer that was attacking his body. After ten
weeks of chemo, the results showed that the
cancer required amputation of his right leg. Lieu
struggled mentally with the life-threatening effects of cancer as tumors were also found in his
lungs that required surgical removal.
Homebound and confined to a wheelchair
Lieu feared the worst, but thankfully the cancer
went into remission. Like most athletic boys,
Lieu thought his physical disability would mean
limiting some activities like playing in the band or
getting back on the tennis court. However, this is
not a story of defeat, but one of
a second chance that would drive
him out of the wheelchair and
back into action full force.
With the help and encouragement of friends and family, Lieu
was fitted with a prosthesis and a
runner’s blade that enabled mobility and balance. After much trial and
error and many slips and falls, Lieu
found out that tennis could still be his
game.
Lieu said that he felt his faith lift him
up during those early cancer days, giving him the courage to make his disability an inspiration not a handicap. Lieu’s
cancer experience propels him into the
spotlight each time he takes the court.
What people see on the court and hear
from his mouth is a young man with a big
heart who feels blessed and grateful for a
second chance.
A second chance on the court also
turned into a second chance in the classroom. Having been an uninterested student
Lieu says, “I was determined to do better.”

photography by Angela Hooks

Lieu is now an “A” student, taking honors classes and dedicating time to his studies. He has
found it rewarding to get better grades and to be
regarded as a student-athlete that gives his best
at everything.
Coach Donna Godowns says Lieu’s story has
been inspirational to everyone. “He is a compassionate young man who loves to help others
on the tennis court and in the classroom. His
willingness to give back and his desire to be
known as someone who gives 100 percent plus
effort has just made a huge impact. From not
knowing if the cancer was going to take more
than his leg,” says Godown, “to winning the Tennis Doubles Region Championship, Thang’s
story has inspired us all.”
Lieu played doubles as a sophomore which
seems safer than having to cover the entire
tennis court, but Lieu says he prefers singles.

“I prefer singles because I truly enjoy challenging myself physically and mentally in the sport
of tennis. I like showing other players and opponents that just because I have a physical disability does not mean that I cannot still fight as
hard as any other athlete on the court.”
Through it all, his mother, two brothers, and
sister have supported Lieu through this encounter with cancer. Some two years later, he feels
great but must continue to have quarterly x-rays
taken to monitor his body.
It is said that no one knows how much we can
affect others with the way we live our daily lives.
Thang Lieu’s heroic story is just more proof that
our impact on others can be enormous. Cancer
is big and bad, however, it is not the cards we
are dealt, but how we play them that matters.
ITG

At SGSC,
it’s a matter of strong
academics, convenience,
and affordability.
After all, we know
that’s what matters to you.

Douglas • 912.260.4200

12

▲

Waycross • 912.449.7600

Sales' Favorites:

Pro or College Player: Dustin Pedroia
Book: Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Food: Spaghetti
Sport you wish you could play: Hockey
Superpower: Invisibility
School Subject: History

Sales
Pinckney
Savannah Country
Day School

For the Love of Sports:
Injury Recovery
by Tom Hilliard

S

photography by Janice Hilliard

avannah Country Day School senior Sales Pinckney has paid a
price for his love of baseball with two left knee ACL tears during
his high school career. His story of injury and recovery is one
that many student-athletes encounter as they play the sports they
grow up loving.
Sports have always come easy for Pinckney, and like many boys starting high school, he was looking forward to competing at a high level on
several teams. In his freshman year an unfortunate ACL injury in football
sidelined Pinckney for several months. He says, “The surgery actually
hurt more than the injury itself,” as he explains the process of recovery.
Recovery started out with six weeks of using crutches and not walking.
Then it was another six weeks before Pinckney was able to run on an antigravity treadmill. As can happen, his recovery was extended even longer
due to a large amount of scar tissue in the knee. Pinckney says, “It was
not a complicated rehab, just a lot of weight lifting for a very long time, and
I felt like I would never recover to play sports again.”
As he finished up his freshman year, he could not practice at full speed
in baseball nor compete in spring football drills. Pinckney’s baseball season was not a total loss as he was able to be the team’s DH, but there was
no field play or running the bases.
After an injury-free sophomore year, Pinckney again injured his ACL
on the same knee during his junior football season. While he could walk
sooner this time, he was not allowed to run on the anti-gravity treadmill
until four months post surgery as they did not want to rush a recovery on
a “redo.” At five months, Pinckney hit a wall and was not able to increase
strength in his knee due to tendinitis. “This made the recovery all the more
torturing and disappointing, as I stayed at the same spot for a month,” says
Pinckney. “The feeling of never recovering came back.” Pinckney points
to physical therapist Ernie Ledesma and school trainer Ed Livingston who
kept pushing him and instilling the belief that he would be back stronger
than ever.

No spring baseball in 2013 or football practice made Pinckney frustrated, as all he could do was watch and help on the sidelines.
As his senior football season came around, Pinckney made the tough
decision to give the sport that gave him his two injuries another try. His
second rehab had taken nearly a year because of the carefulness and
protective hold backs that were issued. In the third game of the season,
Pinckney was given the all-clear and proudly put on his uniform, protective
knee brace, and took the field with his beloved Hornet football team.
Pinckney had a good senior season in football, and he was rewarded
with First Team All-Region honors. As his senior year comes to a close
and the days of college loom closer, Pinckney very much looks forward
to the spring baseball season and the thrill of competing on the diamond.
He hopes to both pitch and play infield this year and finish his high school
sports career on a high note with lots of wins but most importantly in good
health. ITG

13

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15

Player Spotlight

State Champ
2A-195lb
janice hilliard

J.D. Rogers

Toombs County High School

Toombs County Senior Turns Love
of Wrestling into Impressive High
School Career
by Robert Preston Jr.

J

.D. Rogers, a 17-year-old senior at
Toombs County High, knew from an early
age that he wanted to wrestle. His father
had wrestled in high school and had even
done a little coaching in the sport. As a youngster, Rogers was exposed to wrestling constantly; he saw his father’s awards, watched wrestling tournaments on TV, heard the old stories of
his father’s exploits on the mat. “I learned to love
the sport from him,” recalls Rogers.
Rogers’s wrestling career began in USA
Wrestling when he was just four years old. By
the time he reached high school, Rogers was
a seasoned veteran with state and national titles on his palmares. He took that experience
and used it to forge an impressive wrestling career at Toombs County High. “With experience
comes solid technique. J.D. is a technician, and
he can win in a variety of ways. He has a lot of
Greco-Roman experience, so he can go up top
and make something happen. That makes him
very dangerous. He has tremendous upper body
strength,” says his coach, Bradley Benton.
The reason Rogers has all that experience is
because, quite simply, he loves to wrestle. He
also plays a little football and tennis at Toombs
County, but there is nowhere he’d rather be than
on the wrestling mat. He respects the sport and

18

its traditions and as such strives to always do
his best. And his best is pretty good. “I like the
man versus man aspect of wrestling. There is no
team with you on the mat. It’s you against your
opponent. You’re out to beat him, and he’s out
to beat you. The best man wins,” says Rogers.
Throughout his career, Rogers has been the
best man most of the time. He has won the AAU
National Championships, Dixie Nationals, PostSeason Nationals, two Folkstyle state championships, two Freestyle state championships,
two Greco-Roman state championships, and
the Triple Crown once (Folkstyle, Freestyle, and
Greco-Roman titles in the same year (2007)).
Rogers, who now wrestles in the 195-pound
class, has accomplished the goals he set for his
high school career as a freshman. Heading into
his first high school season four years ago, Rogers wanted to make the varsity team first and
foremost (he did). From there, he wanted to win
team Area championships in Duals and Traditional formats, which his Bulldogs did in 2011
and 2012. This year, they have won Duals; at
the time of this writing, Traditional hadn’t been
held yet.
Rogers does not, however, have an individual state championship at Toombs County. He
has come close. Last year, he advanced to the

semifinals but lost in a controversial match that
kept him out of the finals. He finished the season
fourth in the state. Toombs County hasn’t won a
team title, either. The Bulldogs were fourth during Rogers’s freshman year, eighth his sophomore year, and third last year. At the time of this
interview, Rogers had finished the regular season and was training for Area. He went through
the season with just four losses and was in good
position to have a solid post-season. “The key
is not to get overconfident or cocky. You have
to keep your head on straight and work hard.
When you step on the mat, it’s time to go to
work,” he says.
Heading into the postseason, Benton is
pleased with where Rogers is. “He has gone
toe to toe in every match he’s wrestled this year.
When I came to Toombs, I wanted to tap into
his talent. I wanted him in the 195-pound class.
He had to get strong enough to compete in that
class. Now, he’s physically and mentally ready
to go into a state tournament and win it,” says
Benton.
Throughout his career, Rogers has been
recognized for his hard work, community service, and character. Benton has won the Coach
Parks Athlete Award from Dodge County High
School, which is awarded in memory of Dodge

County coach Rickey Parks to a Georgia athlete
who exemplifies excellence and leadership in
athletics and academics, and the Class AA State
Good Character Award in football as a sophomore. He is also an excellent musician (he plays
saxophone), and he’s played onstage with the
Swingin’ Medallions. “I’m well-rounded in a number of activities. I love my God, my country, my
family, and my sport,” he says.

Several different colleges are in pursuit of
Rogers as he winds up his senior year. He has offers to wrestle from schools throughout the country. Right now, though, he has his sights set a
little closer to home. Among the schools vying for
his attention is Brewton-Parker College in nearby
Mount Vernon. “I haven’t decided yet, but I really
like Brewton-Parker,” he says. ITG

barney bonfield

The 2013-14 wrestling season has been a
particularly poignant one for J.D. Rogers. He
dedicated the season to the memory of his
grandparents and a former coach , Brad Bell . He
lost his maternal grandfather to cancer and both
his maternal grandmother and Bell in automobile
accidents. Rogers feels their presence when he’s on
the mat and does his best to honor their memory. “I
know they are proud , and they watch every one of
our matches,” he says.

iranda Weslake is a senior at Beaufort Academy where she is a sports star for the Eagles
in soccer, basketball, and volleyball. She is such
a valuable player in soccer that she has played
on the varsity team since eighth grade. She was captain of
the soccer team last year and will be the captain again this
season. Her striking ability is phenomenal; she was even
recruited to be the kicker for the football team, a position
she ended up turning down.
Weslake has been playing soccer since she was four
years old. “We put her in soccer because she was in perpetual motion, and we decided we needed to do something to run some energy out of her,” says her mother,
Lisa. “She’s still in perpetual motion. One of her biggest
strengths in soccer is her speed.”
“When she was about six or seven, she played on a
team mixed with boys and girls. She was always tall for her
age, bigger than the boys and the girls, and was faster than

20

photography by Tina Helmly

all of them. It was fun to watch her and realize she had a
talent for that sport,” says her father, Tom.
Eagles' high school soccer coach David Byrne has
known Weslake since she was about 10 years old. He
coached her on a U12 club team. “She’s a special talent,”
says Byrne. “I remember it like yesterday. I remember her
walking onto the field, and she’s tall for her age so that’s
the first thing that strikes you. I was watching her juggle the
soccer ball and thinking to myself ‘My gosh! I can’t even
juggle a soccer ball that well!’”
When Weslake was in seventh grade she was asked to
play on the Mount Pleasant club team out of Charleston.
“When I was asked to join the club team, that’s when it really became real to me that there was actual good, competitive soccer in this world. I wouldn’t be anywhere close to
where I am without my club soccer career,” says Weslake.
Weslake has earned numerous achievements. She was
one of only one hundred freshmen from around the na-

tion to be invited to try out for the U15 National
soccer team in Portland, Oregon. She has also
been the Eagles MVP for the past four years,
South Carolina Independent School Association, SCISA, Player of the Year, and on the AllRegion Soccer team for the past two years.
“She’s the most talented soccer player I’ve
ever coached. She’s a natural striker, and she
plays at a very high level through the Mount
Pleasant organization. On our team, however,
she’s asked to take a different role. We put
her in the mid field. She has tremendous foot
skills, has a great eye for the soccer field, and
she distributes the ball extremely well. I’ve always looked at it as a tremendous example of
selflessness and sacrifice for the team. I don’t
need her to score goals. I need her to control the
midfield. I’ve got other players that can score the
goals, but no one is as good as her in the midfield. She has really enabled the soccer team
to have a lot of success over the past couple
years,” says Coach Byrne. “I don’t have the records right in front of me, but she has broken
them all. I almost feel bad keeping records like
that because players are always wanting to beat
them, but Miranda will be a hard act to beat.”
In addition to soccer, Weslake’s volleyball
team was All-Region this past year. She has
also been the MVP for her basketball team for
the past three years as well as All-Region Basketball team for the past two years.
Weslake says one of her favorite memories
in sports was scoring her thousandth point in
basketball her junior year. “It was crazy!” says
Weslake. “It was against our rival, Thomas Heyward Academy. They had a banner hanging up
where the spotlight is. I had nine more points to
score, and the banner was numbered from nine
counting down. Every time I would score a point
they’d rip off the number until, when I was at the
foul line shooting two foul shots, there were only
two points left. I knew if I made these two shots
I would get my thousandth point. I remember
my heart was pounding, I was so nervous and
saying to myself, ‘Okay, this is it! You still have
the rest of the game, but this is a big spotlight
moment.’ I made both of them, I was so excited I ran and hugged my friend Charlotte, and
everyone from the team came and hugged me.
Everyone in the crowd was cheering. Our principal brought out balloons, and they gave me the
basketball. It was awesome.”

“I had all our family there,” says Weslake’s
mother. “It was an exciting night, and a lot of
fun. And you know what? That hasn’t happened
since the 1980s. It’s kind of ironic that it was actually a girl in my graduating class at Beaufort
Academy who held the record. I called her on
the phone and told her, ‘My daughter is about to
beat your points record!’”
“What makes her special are her instincts,”
says her basketball coach, Brock Vaigneur.
“She’s got incredible instincts, like knowing
where to go to steal the ball. She can read the
girls in front of her and make the proper play. So
her instincts are what make her great. The athletic ability doesn’t really mean anything if you
don’t know how to use it, and she knows how to
use it. I always tell people Miranda is a soccer
player playing basketball. She uses the same
instincts. The same things she can do with her
feet on the soccer ball are the same things she
does with her hands on the basketball. It is the
combination of her athletic ability and instincts
that make her great, and that is why Clemson
signed her to play soccer for them.”
Weslake, her family, and her coaches are

looking forward to her playing soccer for Clemson University.
“Her signing with Clemson was a great moment for everyone involved, especially for her,”
says Weslake’s father. “It was a culmination of
years and years of hard work that paid off for
her in the end.
“Miranda going to Clemson is a legacy,” says
Byrne. “It’s a great school and a great fit for her.
I’ve already told my wife - we have five-year-old
triplets at home - but I’ve already told her the
first game Miranda plays in, I won’t be home that
weekend, so you can just plan on that!”
“I graduated from Clemson. My parents graduated from Clemson - my brother and cousins,
too. Lots and lots of schools, prestigious and Ivy
league schools scouted her. So, when Clemson
first showed interest I made sure she got to their
summer camp, and she really seemed to like it.
I wanted her to go to Clemson but only if she
wanted to go. I wanted her to make her own
decision in her life, but we are all thrilled that
she chose Clemson. We can’t wait to watch her
play,” says her mother. ITG

Miranda's Favorites:
Sports moments: Shooting my 1000th point in
basketball and getting chosen to try out for the U15
National Soccer team
College team: Clemson University
College player: Sammy Watkins
Pro player: Wayne Rooney
Subject in school: Spanish
Most influential person: Club soccer coach Kian Brownlee

21

Signing Day 2014
Savannah High School
Treynearious Dillard:
Savannah State University, Football

enior Katie Dalton and freshman
Jesse Dalton, sisters at Vidalia High
School in Vidalia, Georgia, are on
the same golf team this year. Katie
has played for the Lady Indians for the past
three years. While this is Jesse’s first year on
the team, the sisters are looking forward to
leading the team to the state championship.
Katie got her start at about age eight, when
she used to tag along with her father and his
buddies on the course. She says she was out
with her father on the course one day and
thought golf looked interesting, so she picked
up some clubs and started swinging them.
“Katie started dragging along with us,” says
her father, Richard Dalton. “She didn’t have
any of her own clubs, but she was out there
swinging one of mine when the boy's high
school coach, Dennis Watkins, came over to
us. He asked me, ‘Who’s working with her?’ I
said, ‘She doesn’t play golf.’ Watkins respond-

26

photography by Tina Helmly

ed, ‘She swings that club pretty well for not
playing golf. Do you mind bringing her out one
day, letting me work with her and see what
she can do?’ The very first time he worked
with her he said she could be as good as she
wanted to be. ‘She’s just a natural,’ he said.”
Watkins started working with her and taking her to Gale Peterson at Sea Island for
lessons. “Coach Watkins thought I had natural potential, and he started working with me.
Then he took me to get lessons from Gale Peterson, and that’s when I really blossomed,”
says Katie.
“She played a lot of junior golf regionally
and nationally before she came on the team
as a freshman,” says her high school coach,
Chad Barker. “She was really experienced,
and as a freshman she was the best golfer
on our team. She made everyone else on the
team strive to be better, and we really started
improving as a team. At first they were intimi-

dated, but she has a bubbly personality and
once she got over that hump, everyone accepted her. She is really competitive, and she
was able to make the team a whole lot more
interested in playing and wanting to do better.”
Some of Katie’s wins include Regional Low
Medalist with a 77, State Low Medalist with
a 71, and three times she was First Time AllState, an especially esteemed title to hold for
three years. Her favorite course is TPC Sawgrass, where she had her best three holes in
a row.
“It wasn’t my best round ever, but on 16, 17,
and 18 I played par, birdie, birdie,” says Katie.
When asked about her favorite moment in
golf, Katie replies, “My favorite moment was
when I got my first hole-in-one at my home
golf course, Rocky Creek. The sun was in my
eyes. I was about 150 yards out, and I hit my
hybrid. I did not see the ball go into the hole,
but when I got to the green I didn’t see the ball

anywhere. When I looked into the hole, it was
in there. I was so excited! I was also at Rocky
Creek, playing with my dad, when I shot my lowest round, a 67.”
Katie was scouted very early on in high
school, and on November 11, 2013, Katie signed
with Mercer State University. Some of the girls
she already knew from high school and junior
golf play there, she liked the smaller atmosphere
of the campus, and she’s looking forward to it being her new home away from home. She would
love to be in the LPGA one day, but if that doesn’t
happen, she loves anatomy and has a backup
plan to be a physician’s assistant.
In addition to golf, Katie is also a cheerleader
and was on the homecoming court this year. Her
father describes her as being a social butterfly
who never stops talking in contrast to Jesse, who
is shy and more quiet.
“Katie is very, very competitive, and Jesse is
not as competitive. Sometimes when we all go
out to play now, Jesse can give Katie a run for
her money. If Jesse is beating Katie, Katie gets
really mad, but if it’s the other way around, Jesse
doesn’t get mad. She can take it or leave it. It’s
interesting that they’re sisters, and they’re so different,” says their father.
When Jesse was younger, she played soft-

Katie's Favorites:

ball and took karate, where she earned a black
belt. She began playing golf at about the age of
twelve because she saw how much fun Katie
was having with it. In eighth grade, she had the
highlight of her golf career when she won Region
Low Medalist at Green Acres.
“It was exciting! I’d had a pretty good round,
and then I bogeyed the last hole to shoot 37. It
was the lowest score I’ve ever shot,” Jesse says
of her win at Green Acres.
“My lowest round was at Rocky Creek. It was
when I went out to play with my dad. I usually
play the best when it’s just him and me because
I can stay focused, be relaxed and not feel like
I have any competition. Rocky Creek is my favorite course because it’s my home course and
the one I know the best,” says Jesse.
When asked about what it is like to play on a
team with her sister, Jesse says, “It’s kind of intimidating because a lot of people are expecting
me to do well because I’m Katie’s sister. It puts a
lot of pressure on me. I’m a little bit nervous, but
I think by the time the state championship comes
around I’ll have my scores where they need to
be. It’s just about experience.”
Both sisters are very into golf fashion. Making
sure they always look the part is their mother,
Joelle Dalton.

“The only thing I really do is arrange their
clothing. I’m the fashionista in this whole party. I
don’t play golf. I have no idea how to play golf. I
ride around in the carts and give them water and
food on every hole. I’m really proud of them,” she
says of her daughters.
“Joelle doesn’t have a lot of the golf knowledge part, but she’s always there for support.
Katie calls her her dresser because she dresses
her up in the nice golf attire, makes sure all the
clothes she has are modern and that she looks
good. Richard, their dad, takes them out on the
course frequently. He works with them, hitting
shots from different parts of the green or whatever it is they need to improve on. It’s a real help
to their game and to me, as a coach. Both of
their parents are very supportive, just in different
ways,” says Barker.
Barker is looking forward to the upcoming
season with both the girls on his team. He knows
what to expect out of the Dalton sisters. “I have
ten on the team, and I’m looking at Jesse to
come in and take the number-three spot. She
has the potential to do that. She can shoot in the
mid-80s and maybe by the end of the season
break into the 70s. She’s definitely following in
her sister's footsteps.” ITG

Jesse's Favorites:

Course: Rocky Creek
Course: TPC Sawgrass
Golf moment: Winning Region Low
Golf moment: Hole-in-one at Rocky Creek
Medalist at Green Acres, 37
Best round of golf: Rocky Creek, 67
Best round of golf: Rocky Creek, 77
Memory: Signing with Mercer State
Pro player: Ricky Fowler. “I love the
University to play golf
way he plays and the way he dresses.”
Food: Steak, Medium well
Food: Chicken, specifically chicken
Most influential person: My mother,
sandwiches
because she is the strongest person I
School subject: Math
know.
27

Nicole Weller

by Tom Hilliard
photography by Weller Staff Photography

PGA & LPGA National Junior Golf Leader

N

icole Weller enjoys first time experiences. She relishes the opportunity to
introduce youngsters to golf and then
watch them grow as they learn new
skills. “It never grows old,” says Weller, “watching a junior hit that first big drive or sink that first
long putt. It produces a smile that’s a mile wide
every time.”
During a career that spans some 18 years,
the last nine at The Landings Club on Skidaway
Island, Weller has won many awards that recognize her extraordinary efforts to make golf a better game. In 2013, however, it was a big first for
Weller as she was presented the National Junior Golf Leader Award from both the PGA and
the LPGA, representing more than 22,000 golf
professionals and coaches. This distinguished
award has brought Weller a flood of speaking
appearances as well as a huge recognition dinner at January’s PGA Show in Orlando, Florida.
Weller says her father introduced her to golf

28

at age four. By the time she was in high school,
she was the co-captain of the boys golf team.
A natural athlete, Weller has played most every
sport, including acquiring a black belt in karate.
Her musical talents compliment her sports skills
as she enjoys playing the classical piano.
Weller’s husband Ty is also a PGA professional. The couple enjoys playing sports together and spending time together.
Coaching has been a passion for Weller since
receiving her bachelor’s degree in psychology
from Wake Forest in 1994, then her masters in
human performance/motor skills/sport psychology from Tennessee Knoxville in 1995. Since
then she has studied and collaborated with
many of the best golf instructors in the country,
coaching and teaching sports while continually
improving upon physical and mental training.
Weller says helping young people enjoy golf
and realize their potential requires instructors to
have a relationship with the students. She says,

“You have to connect with a student to help them
learn, noting that some juniors are too conservative and need a gentle nudge with injections of
confidence to move forward. Others are too
impatient and want things to happen too soon.
These kids need to have smaller goals that do
not detract their enthusiasm while the learning is
happening. Each person is unique and when a
coach and player really connect, it’s an amazing
experience for all involved with the learning and
‘positiveness’ that comes forth.”
Weller encourages parents to not squash creativity by using adult methods and feels youngsters need space to try to work things through,
learning in many different ways. “Be a guide
not an enforcer,” says Weller, who believes and
promotes goal setting between the coach and
the student. “Once an environment of learning
takes place for a youngster, the game of golf can
be a lifetime experience that yields many positive results.” Her current goals involve creating

new ways and approaches for learning and
promoting the game to juniors through incentive goal setting similar to martial arts.
While Weller is humbled by her awards and
believes that they are shared with others on
her team at work and her family, her love of

coaching and teaching juniors is noted by everyone who sees the effort and care she puts
forth. She says her career has been shaped
by so many in her life, and she is extremely
appreciative of all those who cared enough to
encourage and guide her. ITG

Nicoleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tips For Helping
Juniors Get Into Golf
Introduce the game early in life, at ages twoto-three years old. No methods, just get them
swinging a club - grandparents are a great help at
this age.
Have fun and be safe. Find a coach who uses a
holistic and tiered approach to help your child
learn. Look for programs that place a big emphasis
on having fun while providing a safe environment.
Use properly fit clubs. There are several companies
that offer junior clubs that are the right length
and weight, and children need to change often as
they grow taller and stronger.
Get into PCA, Positive Coaching Alliance. Weller
says that parents and coaches who understand
and use PCA concepts will make their sport more
enjoyable as well as build a good foundation.
29

r t
o
i
u
Jun ndo
Sta

Brad Stewart

Brad's Favorites:

Subject: Math

Superpower: Fly

College Player: Michael Bennett

Pro Team: Atlanta Falcons

Pro Player: Calvin Johnson

College Team: University of Georgia

Person To Meet: Wes Walker and Mike Trout
Place to Travel:

“I would love to visit all the
islands in the Caribbean.”

Benedictine Junior is Three-sport
All-Region Selection
by Robert Preston Jr.

W

hen you talk about Brad Stewart, a
6’1”, 178-pound three-sport star for
the Benedictine Cadets, it’s difficult
to know exactly where to begin. He
plays football, basketball, and baseball at a high
level; he’s been an All-Region selection in all
three and two All-State selections in football (one
Honorable Mention, one Second Team). Stewart has compiled an impressive list of athletic
awards, and he’s also an excellent student who
takes Advanced Placement and honors classes.
Much to the joy of the Benedictine faithful and
the chagrin of Cadets opponents, Stewart still
has a year left in his high school career.
As impressive as Stewart’s athletic career has
been through his first two and a half years of
school, he was having a difficult time when In the
Game spoke with him. He was recovering from
an injury, one that ended his basketball season
prematurely and left him sitting on the sidelines
watching his teammates get ready for the region
tournament. He had developed a stress fracture
30

photography by Tina Helmly

in one of his heels after jumping for a pass at
the Elite Junior Classic, played at McEachern.
He opened up a small fracture in his foot on that
play but refused to come out of the game. “It was
hurting, but I played through the discomfort,” he
recalls. Stewart scored a 41-yard touchdown on
a pass from Coffee County’s Tyree Paulk in the
game.
As Stewart transitioned from football to basketball, the injury didn’t have time to heal properly and worsened, eventually ending his season.
“I’m out, and we have another player out with a
bad ankle. But we’re going to make a run in the
region tournament,” he says.
With his basketball season over, Stewart has
his sights set on baseball. He won’t say which of
the three sports is his favorite, but he has been
playing baseball longest. He first wandered onto
a baseball field when he was four years old, and
he’s been playing ever since. When Stewart was
10 years old, his first travel team called. The Savannah Mudcats wanted him on their squad, and

it was at that time that he realized just how much
he loved baseball. “That was a turning point
in my baseball career,” he recalls. “We played
every weekend all over the place. That’s when it
started getting serious.”
Stewart made Benedictine’s varsity as a
freshman. Primarily a centerfielder, he also
closes when needed. Stewart simply refuses to
lose. When a ball is coming his way, he will do
whatever he needs to in order to make a play. He
flies around the outfield with little regard for limb
or livelihood - all that matters is getting the ball
in his glove. When he’s at the plate, the same
will to succeed takes over. Hitting is a challenge
to him, one he takes personally. It’s him against
the pitcher, and he is determined to prevail. “How
can you call getting something right three out of
10 times success? That drives some people crazy, but I love it,” he says.
His first year with the Cadets, they made the
5A playoffs but lost in the first round. Last year,
Benedictine had moved down to 2A, and the Ca-

In three short years, Brad Stewart has
already amassed an impressive collection
of awards in all three sports:
Football: Savannah Athletic Hall of Fame

Football Player of the Year 2013, Best of Preps
2013 Most Versatile Male Athlete of the Year,
All-State Honorable Mention Football/Offense,
Greater Savannah First Team Wide Receiver,
All-Region First Team Wide Receiver, All-State
Second Team.

Savannah First Team, Top 100 Georgia Dugout
Club Prospect, and Perfect Game’s Top Prospect
list.

dets rolled through the season, eventually getting to the Final Four. Benedictine faced Wesleyan in the quarterfinals, and that’s where
Stewart made one of the biggest plays of his
career. The Cadets were the home team, and
the game was in the top of the seventh. Benedictine was holding on to a slim, one-run lead.
There were two outs in the inning, but Wesleyan had two runners on. The hitter got into one
and scorched a line drive directly at Stewart. It
wasn’t going to land in front of him - he either
had to catch it or it was going to the fence.
“When it started coming my way, my first
thought was, ‘Oh no.’ When I made my first
move, I tripped a little. The ball was hit really
hard. I turned and ran as hard as I could. I just
dove at the end and caught the ball.” He came
to a rest about 20 feet from the fence. Had the
ball been hit a little higher in the air, it would
have been a three-run home run.
The appearance in the semifinals in baseball wasn’t Stewart’s only opportunity to play
in a Final Four. The Cadets football team also
went to the semifinals this year on the heels
of a 13-1 season. Benedictine lost to Lamar
County in the semifinals for the team’s second
loss in as many years to Lamar in the playoffs. Stewart, a wide receiver, cornerback,
and kick/punt returner, enjoyed every minute

of the Cadets’ playoff run. “It was a blast. We
have something special here at Benedictine,”
he says.
During the 2013 season, Stewart caught
30 passes for more than 700 yards. He also
scored 11 touchdowns. That kind of production, coupled with a grade point average north
of 4.0, has a number of colleges courting
him for football. Marshall has already come
forward with an offer and several other Division I schools are in steady contact with him.
Stewart would like to play at least one sport
in college, though he won’t say which one he
prefers. “It’s a goal of mine. I’m hoping it will
happen,” he says.
Throughout his career, a great deal of attention has come Stewart’s way. He finds all the
attention a little unsettling. After all, he plays
sports because he loves to get out there and
compete. The other stuff is just one big distraction that can derail his enjoyment of the sports
he loves if he isn’t careful. Stewart’s father
Brandon keeps him well-grounded. “He constantly reminds me that I’m no different than
anybody else. Determination and discipline is
what will move me forward. He helps me stay
in the present and not dwell on the past or look
too far into the future,” says Stewart. ITG
31
31

Gentlemen Impact Players
Bryce Evans

Senior • Savannah Christian Preparatory School
Sport(s): Baseball, Basketball
Jersey #10 • Mascot: Raiders
Height: 5’10” • Position(s): Shortstop, guard
Stats 2013: Batting Average .389 OBP .505
Awards and Recognition: All-City (Best of Preps)2012,
2013, All-Region 2012, 2013, All-State 2013, Highest Batting
Average for Savannah Christian Varsity Baseball 2012, 2013,
Georgia Dugout Club Top 100, 2013
Most memorable game: My most memorable game was
against Hawkinsville. It was game two of the first round of
the playoffs. I had a walk off hit which forced a game three
that we won.

Most influential person to you and why: My dad has
been very influential in my life. He was my first coach.
He introduced me to baseball at a young age and taught
me all about the game. He has always supported me and
encouraged me to do my best.
Other activities you enjoy: basketball, hanging out with
friends and weightlifting
Favorites:
Pro or College Player: Chipper Jones
Book: The Count of Monte Cristo
Food: Steak • School Subject: Science

Jared Clark
Senior • Windsor Forest High
Baseball • Jersey #14 • Mascot: Knight
Height: 5’7" • Position(s): Center Field
Nickname: Hammer Time
Stats 2013: Batting Average .323
Awards and Recognition:
Second Team All-Region (sophomore/junior)
Most memorable game:
My first game of my sophomore season when we were
losing, and I came up to bat and started the inning off with
a double that got my team going to lead us to a comeback
victory.

Most influential person to you and why:
My dad, he taught me how to play the game when I was
young, and he continues to be there and support me.
Other activities you enjoy:
Playing MLB: the Show and spending time with family
Favorites:
Pro or College Player: Byron Buxton/ Todd Gurley
Book: the Bible • Food: Smothered Shrimp
Sport you wish you could play: Basketball
Superpower: To be able to read the pitcher’s mind to know
what pitch he is going to throw.
School Subject: English

Michael Walker

Junior • Johnson High School
Wrestling/ Cross Country • Mascot: Atom Smashers
Height: 5’11” • Weight Class: 138lb • Nickname: Mike
Stats 2013-14: 15-5 with 15 pins; fastest pin: 4 sec.
Awards and Recognition:
MVP Cross Country team 2013
Most memorable match:
My freshman year, I was wrestling a kid from Savannah Arts
at the Groves Rebel Duals. I picked him up and took him
down hard to the mat, and the whole gym got loud.

Stats 2013: (in 18 games) Goals: 3, Assists: 9
Awards and Recognition:
Elected to the Coastal Georgia Soccer All-Star Game (junior)
Most influential person to you and why:
John F. Kennedy; I admire his patriotism and truly wanting
to make America a better place. Also for his famous quote,

32

Other activities you enjoy:
running, spending time with friends, learning new things,
and volunteering
Favorites:
Pro or College Player: Dwayne Wade
Book: The Secret • Food: Mac and Cheese
Sport you wish you could play: Lacrosse
Superpower: Invisibility • School Subject: Biology

“My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for
you, ask what you can do for your country.”
Other activities you enjoy:
wiffle ball during our school lunch
Favorites:
Pro or College Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Book: Thr3e by Ted Dekker • Food: Double Stuffed Oreos
Sport you wish you could play: Competitive Ping Pong
Superpower: Teleportation like in the movie Jumper
School Subject: Chemistry

Randolph Solomon III
Senior • St. Andrew’s School
Baseball • Jersey #17 • Mascot: Lions
Height: 5’11 • Position(s): First Base, Catcher, Pitcher
Stats 2013: BA: .450, Doubles: 9, Triples: 3, Homeruns: 3,
On Base Percentage: .821
Awards and Recognition:
First Team All SCISA 2-AA
All-Greater Savannah
Under Armour National Tournament Team Selection
Most memorable game:
When my Chain fall ball team came back from being down
14-2 in the fourth inning to winning in a walk-off 15-14. It
was amazing to comeback with my teammates like that;
everyone focused up, and everyone started smashing the

Sam Brunson

Senior • Savannah Christian Preparatory School
Tennis • Mascot: Raiders
Height: 6‘5
Position(s): First Singles
Stats 2013: Match Scores 6-7
Awards and Recognition: 2012 and 2013 Savannah Morning
News All-Area Tennis Team Honorable Mention
Most influential person to you and why:
My parents are the most influential people in my life. They
encourage me to do my best in all areas of my life. They
have taught me to try my best in the classroom and on the

ball. I went 3-5, with a triple and a double and four RBIS.
Two of my best friends almost went yard; our PO who had
to DH went 2-3. It was definitely one of the best games
I’ve ever been a part of and a great memory going into my
senior season.
Other activities you enjoy:
working out, playing video games, hanging out with my
friends, reading books about history.
Favorites:
Pro or College Player: Bo Thompson
Book: The Boo • Food: Cream of Mushroom Pollo
Sport you wish you could play: Basketball
Superpower: Mind Reading • School Subject: History

court; most importantly, they have taught me to love God
with all my heart.
Other activities you enjoy:
bird watching, drawing, fishing, kayaking, reading, science
quiz bowl, and quiz bowl
Favorites:
Pro or College Player: Tajh Boyd and Sammy Watkins
Book: To Kill A Mockingbird • Food: Cheeseburger
Sport you wish you could play: Baseball
Superpower: Flying • School Subject: English and Math
Doubles or Singles: Singles

Mason Michael Johnson
Senior • Windsor Forest High School • Mascot: Knights
Baseball • Jersey #18
Height: 6’3’’ • Position(s): First Base
Stats 2013: BA: .397, Slugging Percentage: .430, On Base
Percentage: .476
Awards and Recognition: Second Team All-Region
Most memorable game:
Most games have those moments you will never forget,
but last season against Portal High School left some
great memories. As a first baseman, I take pride in always
catching the ball, so those one hops to first that you see
a baseman catch are always a thrill. I had a lot of those
moments that game, and as we came to the last inning, we
were down by one, I got on base with a nice line drive to left
field. I advanced to third after stealing second and stealing
third off an error from the catcher. My teammate hit the ball

Will Sutton

and got on base; he shortly got to second. After another
error, I scored the tying run, and my teammate got to third.
Our left-fielder came up to bat, hit a ball, and it went by the
first baseman for the win.
Most influential person to you and why:
My parents; they have always been there for me through all
my injuries and successes. No matter what they are there,
so there opinion means a lot.
Other activities you enjoy:
lifting weights, soccer, football, games, and reading
Favorites:
Pro or College Player: David Ortiz
Book: The Stand by Stephan King • Food: Roast Beef Sub
Sport you wish you could play: I have never tried Cricket.
Superpower: Super Strength

Matadors’ head basketball, football
coach has five state titles and threerunners up in six years
by Robert Preston, Jr.

M

ichael Thompson, head football and
basketball coach at Memorial Day
School in Savannah, has never ventured far from home. He attended
Memorial Day, where he played football, basketball, ran track, and played one year of baseball,
then moved on to Georgia Southern University.
At Georgia Southern, he was a linebacker who
helped the Eagles win a pair of conference
championships.
After obtaining a degree in recreation from
GSU, he coached for two years at Southern before returning to his alma mater, Memorial Day.
He took over the Matadors football and basketball programs then, and in a short period of
time, he has taken them to the top of the GISA
Class 2A heap. Thompson’s impressive resume
includes three state championships in football,
two in basketball, two state runners-up in football, and another in basketball. Between the two
sports, Thompson has been named state coach
of the year five times and region coach of the
year six more times. “We’ve been able to be
successful because we’ve had some continuity
in our coaching staff and everyone has bought
into the same philosophy. We believe in working hard and being dedicated to one another,”
he says.
When Thompson came to Memorial Day, he
figured he would end up coaching football and
basketball. He had a strong background in both
and knew he could contribute in each program.
At the time, Memorial Day was known as a bas-

34

photography by Janice Hilliard

ketball and baseball school. The football team
was relatively weak and hadn’t done very much.
With basketball, he had to continue the winning
tradition that had already been established.
He did so, remaining uncompromising in his
philosophy and demanding the best out of his

players. They responded favorably and the wins
came in droves. A few years after he arrived, the
Matadors won their first state basketball championship in 2011. Another state championship
followed in 2013.
This season, the Matadors got off to a slow

Michael Thompson enjoys everything about

coaching. He most enjoys being around the kids.
Like all good coaches, he knows that what he does
is about more than just winning games. He is helping shape and mold the leaders of tomorrow, and
he wants them to make good choices on and off
the field. “I want my players to give everything they
have when it comes to football, basketball, and life.
My father gave me advice that helped me experience positive outcomes in life, and I want to do the
same for my players.”

start and at the time of this interview, with two
weeks left in the regular season, they were sitting in fourth in the region. That’s not typical of
Memorial Day basketball. Thompson believes
his team will turn things around as the region
tournament nears. “I believe we can win a few
more games at the end of the season and head
into the tournament as a first or second seed. I
know we can be very successful in the tournament,” he says.
Thompson might have done his best work on
the gridiron. The Matadors struggled in football
before Thompson came to Memorial Day. They
didn’t win many games and weren’t far removed
from a winless season when he arrived. In
Thompson’s first year, he led the Matadors to a
state title. Two more followed in 2009 and 2013.
This season, the Matadors defeated the defending state champion Valwood Valiants in the finals. Valwood had defeated Memorial Day 1312 on a last-second field goal in the third game
of the season. “When we watched film from that
game, we saw that we left a lot of points on the
field and we made a lot of mistakes. We knew
we could compete with them. We had to play
fast and fix those mistakes,” says Thompson.
In the state championship game, which was
played on a neutral field in Macon at Mercer University, Memorial Day took a 14-7 lead into the
locker room at halftime. “It was a close game.
We challenged our kids and made a few adjustments in the second half,” he says. In the final
two periods, Memorial Day took control of the
game and outscored the Valiants, 28-7, in the
second half. The Matadors cruised to a 42-20
win and a third state title. In the process, they
had handed the Valiants their first loss under
second-year head coach Ashley Henderson.

“We were able to pull away. We forced several
three and outs, and then we moved the ball offensively.”
With the kind of success Thompson has experienced at Memorial Day, he will almost certainly have opportunities to coach at larger programs in the future. He says his career goals
include coaching at another level, maybe even
in college. Right now, he is committed to the

Memorial Day program. He also knows that he
still has a great deal to learn about football. “I
want to keep learning the game of football and
doing what’s best for this program. When I got
here, we were strong in basketball and baseball.
Now we’re strong in football, basketball, and
baseball. We had four kids get Division I football
scholarships this year. I want to keep that going
here,” he says. ITG

Michael
Thompson
Memorial Day School

35

Lady Impact Players
Juliet Salgueiro
Senior, St. Vincent's Academy

Tennis/Cross Country • Mascot: Saints • Height: 5’7” • Position(s): #1 Singles
Stats 2013: #1 Singles 16-3 record, won 22 sets out of 26 (84.6%), went undefeated during GHSA 2AA
Region Tournament (helping team win region title for the first time since 1996), won first round of state
play-offs against East Laurens
Awards and Recognition:
Varsity Tennis 9-12th grades
Savannah Morning News Best of Preps, Honorable mention (sophomore and junior year)
Team Awards: 2nd place GHSA Region 2AA (freshman), 2nd place GHSA Region 2AA (sophomore), 1st
place GHSA Region Title (junior)
Varsity Tennis Team: Runner-up in Coastal Empire Tennis Tournament (sophomore)
Other Activities you enjoy: Surfing, playing the piano, 5k races
Favorites:
Food: My favorite food has always been southern cooking. I can’t narrow it
down because I honestly cannot choose just one dish. My grandmother is from
Alabama, and southern food has always been a part of my life.
Sport you wish you could play: Lacrosse and Polo
Super Power: Breathing underwater
School Subject: English and AP Government
Doubles or Singles: Personally, I prefer singles because it offers more control
of the court, ball, and overall point. Singles requires more stamina to play and to win,
which I always use to my advantage. The stamina I have from cross country is a huge help
when playing singles. I also enjoy singles because of the mental toughness it requires.

Stats 2013: Assists: 7, Goals: 19
Awards and Recognition:
SCISA All-Star for Soccer
honorable mention from All-Greater Savannah Volleyball Team
has been practicing soccer since 3 years old
Most Memorable Game:
Our first win my freshman year; it was the first for our school in years.
Other activities you enjoy: Volleyball
Most Influential Person to you and why:
Mia Hamm because she was such a great soccer player. She excelled at such a high level receiving
many honors and medals with her team. She was an extraordinary player and continues to be a great
role model for striving young athletes.
Favorites:
Pro or College Player: Wes Welker
Book: I read various books that my English teacher loans me
Food: Pretzels with peanut butter, Pineapple and apples, and Little Debbie’s treats
Pro Team: Boston Red Sox
Place to Travel: Italy or Spain • Sport you wish you could play: Tennis
College Team: University of Georgia Bulldogs

Lauren McCall
Senior, Calvary Day School
Soccer /Cross Country • Jersey #10 • Mascot: Cavalier • Height: 5’7 • Position(s): Midfield
Stats 2013: Goals: 3, Assists: 7 for 13 points
Awards and Recognition:
starter in back to back Area 1-A championship teams
starter for Calvary in back to back Elite Eight appearances in Class
A soccer
Selected to Participate in Coastal Empire Soccer All-Star Classic
as sophomore and junior (honorable mention sophomore year,
winning team junior year)
Savannah Morning News All-Coastal Empire second team junior
year
club soccer for 10 years with two years at Coastal Georgia
Soccer Association
soccer scholarship with Middle Georgia State College
Other activities you enjoy:
boating, going to the beach, shopping, and traveling
Favorites:
Pro or College Player: Messi
Book: Gossip Girl • Food: Lasagna
Sport you wish you could play: Tennis
Superpower: Fly • School Subject: Math

37

The First “Yankee Stadium,”
Fort Pulaski
by Ruby Hilliard

T

he origins of baseball are a little fuzzy. It is generally accepted
that baseball was created by Abner Doubleday in the 1830s, but
there is no documentation to prove this. Doubleday himself refuted that claim. It is more likely that baseball or base ball, as it
was originally named, was a variation of the British games of rounders
and cricket. In 1845, Alexander Joy Cartwright and other New York City
men founded the Knickerbocker Baseball Club. They created a structure
for the game, building a foundation for baseball as we know it today. They
established regulations such as foul lines, bases, outs and also ruled that
plugging or soaking the runner, throwing a ball at the runner for an out,
was illegal. These rules made baseball distinctly different from rounders
and cricket.
When the Civil War started in 1861, the spread of troops and the exchange of prisoners spread the game all over the nation. With a uniform
set of rules, clubs were formed and troops played amongst themselves
for entertainment and to increase morale. Soon after, baseball became an
American tradition.
In 1862, Company G, 48th New York Volunteer Infantry played a baseball game on the grounds of Fort Pulaski in Savannah, Georgia, giving it
the nickname “The First Yankee Stadium.” The way the game was played
is a little different than the modern sport. The pitcher, or bowler/hurler as
he was previously called, threw the ball underhanded. The ball, or the
apple, horsehide, or onion, was made of leather strips or rags wrapped
around a small wooden ball. The willow, or the bat, as we know it, was
shaped more like a pole, being fatter and longer, and weighed more than
a modern bat. A modern bat weighs between 33 ounces and 36 ounces
and a vintage bat weighed about 75 ounces.
The ballers/players, base tenders/infielders, midfielders/centerfielders,
the scouts/outfielders and the rover/shortstop wore no leather mitts. They
used their bare hands or their hats to catch the ball. There were no restrictions on the number of balls that the striker could swing at and outs were
determined by the catch of the ball. A striker would only be out if the ball
was caught before touching the ground or by catching the ball after the
38

photography provided by National Park Service / Fort Pulaski National Monument

first bounce. When a player was out it was referred to as “player dead”
and when three outs were achieved it was called “three hands dead.” Early
games lasted five innings rather than nine.
Every year, usually around the Fourth of July, Fort Pulaski reenacts this
baseball game, only they play North vs South or Blue vs Gray. The staff
re-enactors from Fort Pulaski, Fort Jackson and the nearby U.S. Coast
Guard station make up the teams of nine. They play in wool uniforms worn
by the original infantry with the only change to wardrobe, for some, being shoes. Hardcore re-enactors will play in the traditional leather cavalry
boots with wooden soles and horseshoe-plate heels.
Matt O’Neal, a re-enactor volunteer at Fort Pulaski, has played in a few
of the games and says he always wears his traditional shoes while some
opt for sneakers and even a few others play barefoot. The game is played
in the same place as the original with the cranks/spectators looking on
from the top and sides of the fort. They also play with the same rules of
the 1862 game.
The ground in the fort is uneven and makes for tricky play, at best. They
play with a traditional ball that doesn’t pitch, hit or roll on the ground with
the same accuracy of a modern ball. They also play with a traditional willow, but modern bats are available for use if one can’t handle the weight of
the old fashioned bat. The wool outfits are hot and sweaty in the Savannah
heat, making for a very different kind of game than what modern players
experience. They also use no mitts, and use their hat - if they remembered
to wear it - to catch the ball.
After the five innings of the game are played, spectators can join the
field to try their hand at an 1862 version of baseball. They can take their
chance at swinging the willow, hitting an onion, and legging it around the
bases to the dish/home plate. O’Neal says the game and festivities surrounding it draw more people to the park on that day than any other.
To plan your visit to Fort Pulaski and try your hand at vintage baseball, check out their website’s event page at: http://www.nps.gov/
fopu/planyourvisit/events.htm

Herschel V. Jenkins High School

Lovdy
Heller

Discipline and Consistency: A Life's Legacy

W

hen watching a basketball game, one of the first
things you do is take in the surroundings of the gym.
Where is the concession stand, which side is the
home team on, how many players does each team
have, and who are the referees and coaches?
If you are at a game against Herschel V.Jenkins High School,
you might be surprised to see who the coaches are, but once the
game has started, you will be impressed. Lovdy Heller, 60 years
old, sits on the bench beside head coach Bakari Bryant as his
assistant. She is right there in the action, taking everything in and
coaching just as she has been for the last 30 years.
Coming from a family of “preachers and teachers,” Heller says
growing up, she loved sports and always knew she wanted to
teach. Originally she planned to attend college and major in piano. Growing up in Appling County, Georgia, she stayed busy with
sports year round - softball, track and field, and volleyball were all
part of her youth. Basketball however, stole her heart. Playing college ball at Fort Valley State for four years and graduating in 1976
with a teaching degree was the beginning of a legacy for Heller.
Heller recalls how her Fort Valley coaches, Flossie Love and
Jessie Brown, were her family away from home and credits them
with instilling in her the coaching traits of “being strong, consistency and fairness to all.” This coaching wisdom didn’t fall on deaf
ears. Heller still stresses that “discipline on and off the court, practice and academics, are the characteristics of an athlete.” Heller
says, “The game and the kids might have changed over the years
but old school still pays off.” Her coaching strategy stresses discipline. “The kids know if I say something I mean it, that’s the way I
grew up, my family expected us to show respect and I expect it as
well. I am consistent with the students and coaches I work with.”
Heller enjoyed the opportunity to coach with people such as
Mickey Stephens, Tim Jordan at Savannah High, and coach Oliver at HVJ, who was her assistant coach. She became his assistant when she retired. To say she never gives up is an understatement. During her tenure as a coach she did a tour of duty with
the Army National Guard and spent a year in Saudi Arabia as a
Sgt. E5 -Ammunition Specialist before returning to her first love,
coaching basketball.
As far as being a female coach on the boys bench, Heller got
her start right out of college at age 22 as the assistant boys basketball coach at Thompkins High School in Savannah. Heller has

coached her entire career in
Savannah Chatham County
schools. In 30 years, she has
touched a lot of lives. She
even coached the two current coaches at HVJ, Bakari
Bryant and Jerry Hampton, with whom
she now shares the bench during basketball season.
When asked about Heller, Bryant says, “Oh wow! She knows
more and has probably forgotten more about the game than I will
ever know. I am so proud to have her on our bench with the boys,
and whew, she is tougher than I am!”
Heller has had many accomplishments during her career. She
has seen students go on to play in college and professionally. She
has raised a daughter, Thandi, who loves basketball and keeps
stats for Savannah State College. She has a granddaughter, Kaiya,
who she adores. Heller says, “The thing I find most satisfying is
seeing young people improve, and grow to be successful. That is
my coaching accomplishment.”
Heller doesn’t have to escape from the rigors of coaching because it is the one thing she loves to do. Her goal “to assist young
people to grow and achieve the best in life” is what keeps her
going.
Heller said her grandfather named her Lovdy and she has “always loved the words in the songs” she grew up playing on piano.
“Those words inspired me and my motto is, if I can help somebody with a word or even a song, I know my being would not be
in vain!” ITG

article and
photography by
Janice Hilliard

39

John Eck
Hilton Head Preparatory School

Victory through Recovery
by Tiffany Allnutt

J

ohn Eck, a senior at Hilton Head Prep,
says his love for basketball began at an
early age, idolizing Michael Jordan, Kobe
Bryant, and USC basketball. Although
he played other sports a child, Eck feels that he
knew from the moment he started playing basketball that it was his sport. Since seventh grade
he has been rigorously training everyday to be a
strong, successful athlete.
Some of his best moments playing the game
have been his first dunk, making the All-Star
team in 2013 and receiving SCISSA All-Region,
All-State recognitions. Eck also made the AAU
team, an elite travel team out of Charleston,
which required extensive practices and dedication. Because of an injury suffered in an automobile accident in June 2013, he was unable to
participate in the tournament season.
Although initially Eck seemed to have walked
away from the accident unscathed, the following
days proved otherwise. Eck began experiencing
sensitivity to light, headaches, dizziness, and
trouble remembering simple information. His
mother took him to a neurologist where it was
confirmed that he had all the signs of concussion. He was diagnosed with PCS, post-concussion syndrome. PCS is a form of mild traumatic brain injury that can cause side effects for
weeks, months, or even a year. Eck was forced
to stay inside, in the darkest room in the house,
with as little stimulation as possible. Eck says “I
couldn’t watch television or use the computer,
40

photography by Janice Hilliard

just a little bit of light would cause me to get a
headache and get all dizzy.”
This was a huge setback for such a dedicated athlete accustomed to intense training
and practice every day. The symptoms persisted through the summer into the beginning
of the school year, where juggling classes and
starting basketball practice became a difficult
obstacle to overcome. His coaches worked
closely with Eck upon his return to the court
in November 2013, taking small steps to ease
him back into effectively training for the game.

What seems like a
huge setback to some
only made Eck fight
harder to achieve his
goals and get back out
on the court. “He is a
machine, he trains hard
every day, he was made
to play basketball,”
says his mother.

At first Eck attended practice, unable to participate at all, but slowly he was able to regain his
strength and agility on the court.
His mother Cecile says, “There was an immense amount of support for John during this
time, he had friends over all the time, who would
just sit with him in the dark, and his coaches
called every day to check on him and encourage him.”
What seems like a huge setback to some only
made Eck fight harder to achieve his goals and
get back out on the court. “He is a machine, he
trains hard every day, he was made to play basketball,” says his mother.
Eck states that his mother and his coaches,
and of course his love for basketball, encouraged him to work hard to overcome his injury
and get back out there and keep playing the
game.
Having transferred to Hilton Head Prep starting in his junior year, Eck was honored to be recognized by his teammates for his obvious devotion to the game when he was elected captain in
his junior year. The passion he shows is greatly
respected.
Hilton Head Prep head basketball coach Jerry Faulkner says, “John is unselfish, a true team
player. He deserves every bit of accolades he
can get, the kids respect him and you like to see
kids that get attention that work hard. Nobody
goes to the gym and shoots as much as John
Eck. His love of the sport is inspiring because
he deserves it.”
Although it has been a difficult year full of
achievements and hardships, Eck feels he is
finally fully recovered and ready for whatever
comes next. His dream is to play at the collegiate level following graduation this spring.
Eck’s goals for this season have been to

maintain his concentration throughout the game
and to win. He seems to be accomplishing both
successfully as the Hilton Head Prep Dolphins
are in the running for making the playoffs and
he is currently ranked as the highest scorer in
Beaufort County. No matter the outcome, this
has been a victorious season for this courageous athlete. ITG

Hilton Head Prep head
basketball coach Jerry
Faulkner says, “John is
unselfish, a true team
player. He deserves
every bit of accolades
he can get, the kids
respect him and you
like to see kids that
get attention that work
hard. Nobody goes to
the gym and shoots
as much as John Eck.
His love of the sport is
inspiring because he
deserves it.”

s I write this article I am looking at the FCA
Coach’s Mandate poster I have hanging on
the wall of my office. It is a special, and
rare, coach that fully embraces this pledge
to see coaching, not as a career alone, but as a
“calling” to be passionately pursued on and off the
field for the purpose of equipping and enabling athletes to reach their potential for the Glory and Honor
of God.
Bradley Ward, Football and Baseball coach at
Statesboro High School, is one such coach. He
called me last spring believing that he had been
given a vision that he had to carry out. In fact, he felt
so strongly about what God laid on his heart that his
future as a coach depended on it! The vision was
simple. Pick 6 leaders from the football
team, lead them
through a weekly bible study, and take
them to FCA camp in
Black Mountain, NC.
That is just what he
did and the results
were dramatic!
Each of the athletes came away
from camp with a
completely new purpose for playing the

game and it had an incredible ripple effect through
the entire team and coaching staff. During the week
of camp the guys came up with the idea of 6 and 1.
Each year they would encourage 6 more athletes
and 1 coach to join them at FCA camp. One coach
answering his “call” deeply influenced his athletes
and now those athletes are using their talents to
honor God and influence their fellow teammates.
That is the “WIN” and that is what FCA is all about!
As an FCA staff person it is incredible to see the
impact of a coach that has a heart for Christ and to
witness that change the lives of the athletes they
coach! Statesboro High School will continue to feel
the influence of these six athletes and one coach
for years to come.

Boyd Green-Coastal Plains FCA
“Camp meant a lot to me because it
opened up passages to my heart that I
didn’t know existed.” -Brandon MapleSHS-Defensive End
“FCA camp taught me a new perspective
on how to play sports. That perspective is
to play for the Lord.”-Colin Chance-SHS
Quarterback
“FCA camp really made me realize the
gifts and talents God has given me and
how thankful I am for them.” Sherrodric
Rawls-SHS Running Back
“Camp really opened my eyes…it taught
me to play and practice for God. It was a
great experience.” -John Underwood-SHS
Offensive Lineman
“Camp has not only molded me into a
better athlete, but it has made me into a
more confident leader in the arena of life.”
-Wesley Budget-SHS Defensive Back
“Camp taught me that I am not just
supposed to play for myself, coaches and
team but for God.”
-Tim Key-SHS-Linebacker

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Who Inspires You?
J.D. Rogers

“My dad because he is my
best friend, and he and my
mom have given up a lot
(money, time, vacations,
driving for hours and hours)
for me to pursue my dreams
in wrestling.”

Jared Clark

“My dad; he taught me how
to play the game when I was
young, and he continues to be
there and support me.”

Thang Lieu

“Jesus is the most influential
person in my life. The reason why
he was so inspirational to me was
because he guided me when I was
diagnosed with cancer, and he
gave me a new perspective on life.
He also gave me hope when I lost
my leg to cancer. He has shown
that with faith and dedication that
anything is possible. It is a true
blessing that I have been given a
second chance to play tennis since
before my diagnosis of cancer.”

Emily Drown

“My grandmother, Maria
Vinueza; she is such a
strong and loving woman
who always wants to make
others happy. She’s one
of the most hard-working
people I know and always
puts others first.”

Randolph
Solomon III

“Definitely my mother;
throughout my life she
has been someone that
I can always turn to and
depend on. She supports
me no matter what, and I
know whenever I look into
the stands she’s always
someone I can look to for
support.”

Michael Walker
“My coach because he has
always pushed me to do my
very best even when I felt
like giving up.”

Juliet Salgueiro

“I believe that the most accurate definition of influential is, ‘To have the power to cause
changes.’ I am so blessed to be surrounded by coaches, teachers, parents, and students
that are the walking definition of influential. However, there has been one constant figure in
my life that never ceased to amaze and support me, and that is my mother. She knew me
even before I knew myself. She has instilled in me all my motivation and perseverance. She
is my coach, cook, teacher, and above all she is my mom. She has taught me to never back
out of anything just because something becomes difficult. I have always been extremely
determined and competitive, but none of that would be possible if it wasn’t for her. Every
child in the world loves their mother, however, few listen to them. Being a senior in high
school and the captain of both the cross country and tennis teams, I have had to make
decisions every day. These decisions will only get harder next year in college. I will always
listen to my mom’s advice which sometimes is simply, ‘Juliet you have to make a decision.’
For always being my number one fan and for many more reasons, the most influential
person in my life is my mother, Fonda Salgueiro.”
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